What strings do you use on your precision bass?

[quickfix]

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Just removed that set from my American Special Precision and reinstalled a set of LaBella LTF I had lying around. The other Precision, a Fender 50's Classic, wears a set of LaBella 760FS.

I like the Chrome ECB82 set, but they just don't give me the smooth sound, or resounding thump that I sometimes require. LaBella flats never fail to deliver.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

I bought a 63 AVRI in December and have only replaced the strings with Fender medium gauge roundwound. I don't usually use this string at all but I like how they sound and play on this bass. What do you guys use on your Precision?

I've used a bunch of different brands over all the years on my P-Basses, mostly standard gauge. 105 to .045, but I've experimented with slightly lighter gauges, and once with the Billy Sheehan Signature Rotosounds, which have a .110 gauge E-string and a .043 gauge G-string.

So here's are the sets I recall using:
D'Addario XL nickel roundwounds
GHS Bass Boomers
Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkys
D'Addario Chromes flatwounds
Rotosound Swing Bass 66's stainless steel roundwounds
Rotosound Billy Sheehan Signature stainless steel roundwounds
D'Addario Pro Steels stainless steel roundwounds
LaBella Slappers nickel roundwounds

I can't say any of the brands of strings I've used have been lacking in tone or performance.

IMO and IME, the P-Bass always sounds like a P-Bass, to my ears, regardless of the string brand used, and for me, it's the least fussy brand of basses I own when it comes to strings.

Obviously, there were slight differences in tone between stainless steel and nickel plated roundwounds, and the different respective brands I've used. And the flatwounds did "their" thing.

And to my ears, GHS Bass Boomers sound a little different compared to the other brands of nickel roundwounds I've used. Less shrill top end, more detail and punch in the mids and lower mids, and a very warm sounding, but still punchy bottom end.

 

[michael_t]

IMO and IME, the P-Bass always sounds like a P-Bass, to my ears, regardless of the string brand used, and for me, it's the least fussy of and brand of basses I own when it comes to strings.

Ain't that the truth!

Obviously, there were slight differences in tone between stainless steel and nickel plated roundwounds, and the different respective brands I've used. And the flatwounds did "their" thing.

Different flavors of the same low end goodness. This is why I need at least THREE P basses - one with rounds, one with pressurewounds and one with flats.

 

[electracoyote]

Ernie Ball or D'Addario 45-100 rounds. I won't look further, experiment further, or spend any more on strings, and I probably wouldn't notice an appreciable improvement even if I did.

 

[armybass]

AVRI 63 P = LaBella Low Tension Flats.

 

[trothwell]

Different flavors of the same low end goodness. This is why I need at least THREE P basses - one with rounds, one with pressurewounds and one with flats.

Three? I would like to have Precisions with at least two different kinds of flats at the ready! Should be at least FOUR P basses! I'm not fond of either groundwound or tapewound on a Precision bass, so I guess I don't need to up it to five or six...

 

[Pantone 333]

TI Jazz flats. I do not anticipate taking them off.

 

[Linnin]

Different flavors of the same low end goodness. This is why I need at least THREE P basses - one with rounds, one with pressurewounds and one with flats.

Aint that the truth!

 

[Yahboy]

I love flatwound on my Squier CV 60P bass, but the Fender 7250M sound best in gig.
I order a set of Labella LTF-4A for another CV 50P just because i still miss the tone from 760FL but Nott heir tension and stiffness.
I give up with sweet sounding GHS M3050 few weeks ago because i found the broke-in tone is limit than others flatwound i been use previously.

 

[tallboybass]

Flats - LaBella 760FX SuperLights.

Need to change this to 760FL...scored a low mileage set here on TB and they seem to have more growl than the lighter version. Tension is amazingly similar, to me.

 

[ljazz]

I have used TIJF's for years, but recently put on a set of light gauge Sadowsky Blue Label Flats. Very sweet strings. Mids sing in a TIJF sort of way, but are a bit thicker in the low mids. Slighty more tension, and obviously stiffer due to the hex core. I have a handful of gigs in with these now, and I'm really pleased. Great strings for someone looking for the TIJF tone with a touch less sponginess to the feel. They reside on my CS '59 P.

I have D'addario xl nickel rounds on my '08 AmStd P and GHS tapes on my '87 G&L Sb1.

 

[armybass]

Getting a modern P5 this week and it will get XL Nickels.

 

[Drucifer]

I was a TI flats guy for years but now I like pyramid flats. I dig the high tension and they sound great.

From the bassstringsonline.com site:

PYRAMID Gold Flatwound Bass Strings were developed in 1956 in association with Walter Hofner for the first Hofner 500/1 electric bass guitar. Wrapped with Chrome Nickel Flatwire these strings have a delightful low tension feel with a tone like none-other. ​

I like the sound of TI flats but don't like the low-tension feel, are the Pyramids similar?

 

[Pantone 333]

I have the Pyramid flats on my Jazz Bass. I love them as much as the TI flats on my Precision but these strings are totally different. The Pyramids are much smoother and for sure have higher tension ... but I would confidently rank them as medium tension as opposed to high tension. The thing I love about the Pyramids is that I can get my Jazz Bass to sound pretty spot on like a Hofner ... played exclusively on the neck pickup that is.

 

[deeptubes]

D'Addario nickel rounds on the active. Chromes on the passive.

 

[ljazz]

From the bassstringsonline.com site:

PYRAMID Gold Flatwound Bass Strings were developed in 1956 in association with Walter Hofner for the first Hofner 500/1 electric bass guitar. Wrapped with Chrome Nickel Flatwire these strings have a delightful low tension feel with a tone like none-other. ​

I like the sound of TI flats but don't like the low-tension feel, are the Pyramids similar?

If it's TIJF tone you're after, but with a touch more tension and stiffness, then I think you'd be pleased with the light gauge Sadowsky Blue Label Flats. Give them a few weeks of play time before judging. Like TIJF's, they don't thump (unless you use foam or palm to mute), but sing in the mids. A bit more grunt in the low mids than the TIJF's. They actually sit in the mix a bit more fully due to the extra low mid content. I'm digging them.

 

[Drucifer]

If it's TIJF tone you're after, but with a touch more tension and stiffness, then I think you'd be pleased with the light gauge Sadowsky Blue Label Flats. Give them a few weeks of play time before judging. Like TIJF's, they don't thump (unless you use foam or palm to mute), but sing in the mids. A bit more grunt in the low mids than the TIJF's. They actually sit in the mix a bit more fully due to the extra low mid content. I'm digging them.

Thanks @ljazz! I've used the Sadowsky Blues flats on one of my fretless 4's but that was a couple of sets ago, I think I still have a set laying around. I'm looking for a set of flats to try on my fretted '76 Precision, it's never worn anything but Rotosound rounds since I bought it in the early '80s. I don't like dead thump and liked the TIs but they felt too weird, I am sure because I play very heavy (heavily?).

 

[BasementWarrior]

I have changed my setups. We added a second guitarist and I needed to find some new sonic space. I've gone back to D'Addario Chromes (50-105).

Maybe I should think about getting a 2nd P Bass?

 

[taylor16]

Fender flats on three P's , D'Addario XL nickel on two P's rounds, Dunlop flats on one.

 

[michael_t]

Fender flats on three P's , D'Addario XL nickel on two P's rounds, Dunlop flats on one.

I can only dream of owning SIX P basses.